Apparatus for drying hair



Jan. i3, 1942. H, E- MlLLER 2,270,008

APPARATUS FOR DRYING HAIR Filed April 13, 194() 4 sheets-sheet 1 ff@ f3' Jan. 13, 1942.

H. E. MILLER APPARATUS FOR DRYING HAIR Filed April 15, 1940 omo'o o o'ooo 4 sheets-sheet 2 if@ gf,

OQOQOOOO 11/ A" 3mm@ 29 H -Mr' Jan. 13, 1942. H. E. MILLER APPARATUS FOR DRYING HAIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 H. E. MILLER APPARATUS Foa DRYING HAIR Filed April 13, 1940 l j cf.

`Fam. 13, 1942.`

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 APPARATUS FOR. DBYING HAIR Herbert Edgar Miller, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 13, 1940, Serial No. 329,545

` (ci. 341oo) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for drying hair, and essentially comprises a head piece or housing equipped with the hair drying means proper, and

a base on which the head piece is adJustably mounted; also, suitable blower attachments as will presently appear.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide an apparatus of the character specified, whereby the drying of the hair is accomplished by suction and the application of dry, clean, warm air flowing towards the head and up and away from the face and body of the person undergoing treatment, as distinguished from the blower types of hair dryers now in general use and which are decidedly objectionable in that the air is discharged over the head, face and body.

With the foregoing and other objects in view that will appear as the nature of my invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel features of construction, combination and ar' rangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes vonly and are therefore not drawn to scale:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for drying hair, constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the head piece or housing.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section, taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar view, taken on line 4 6 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse section, taken on line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a similar view, taken on line 6-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings for amore particular description of my invention, and in which drawings like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the several views, my device essentially comprises the head piece or housing I, equipped with my novel hair drying means, and adiustably mounted on a suitable Figure 7 is an enlarged detail vertical section,

taken on line 1-1 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 8-9 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a face View of one of the adjustable air ow directors, with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 10 is a transverse section, taken on line I0-I0 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a vertical transverse section of a modified form of head piece or housing, and Figures 12 and 13 are views illustrating two different forms of blower attachments that maybe used when the device is used as a blower.

base 2 by the forked standard 3, whose up and down movement is controlled by the wire cable 4, pulley 5 and balance weight 0.

Specifically, the head piece I comprises the hollow semispherical perforated cap l, which fits over the head and is situated at the lower end of the central air intake passage or channel 8, and the air filter 9 positioned in the air intake passage over the aforesaid suction cap. A suction fan I0 is suitably mounted in the upper end of the passage 8 above the air lter, while the centrally disposed heating element II is positioned in the housing I above the suctionfan. The housing'is also formed with the annular down take passage I2, terminating at its lower end in the circular rim I3, which extends around the head below the suction cap.

In carryingv out my invention, the top of the head piece or housing is provided with a lining Ill, of suitable absorbent material adapted to absorb any moisture or collect any particles of dust that may pass through the filter 9. It will be noted that the top of the housing acts as a heating chamber, and after the device has been in operation a short time, only the minimum amount of heat will be required from the heating element. The amount of current supplied to the heating element may be regulated by a suitable control I5, within convenient reach of the operator or person undergoing treatment. A three speed motor I6 is mounted on top of the housing I, and the latter is provided in its side, near the top, with a transverseopening Il. This opening is normally closed by the cap I8, but when the device is used as a blower, said cap is removed and the register I9 controlling the upper end of the annular down-take passage I2, closed by the manually operated' forked lever 20 and pin 20' or other equivalent means.

When the device is used as a blower, in drying long hair or the like, the blower attachment may consist of a metal pipe 2 I, composed of telescopic sections and ball joints to facilitate adjustment in any position, or maybe in the form of a soft flexible hose 22 with relatively small nozzle 23,

l which mayl be used to advantage in cooling the head, when thegpermanent waving machine is used, etc.

The rim I3 is provided with a plurality of adjustable air flow directors 24, preferably six in number, which direct the warm air to the head. The directors 24 are disposed equi-distances apart around the inside bottom of the rim I3, and each comprises the slip sleeve fitting 25, to permit the director to be pushed in or out, according to the size of the head, the front and rear panels 2B and 2l, respectively, and the baiile plate 28, to properly distribute the warm air before its passage through the transverse outlet openings 29 in the rear panel 21. 'I'he slip sleeve iitting 25 comprises the inner and outer telescopic sections 30 and 3I, respectively, as shown. Section 30 is formed at one end with the annular flange 32 adapted to engage or abut an annular ring 33 at the inner end of section 3| and thus limit the inward movement of the inner section. The outward movement of the inner section 30 is limited by the wall or shoulder 34. The inner end of section 30 of the tting 25 is formed with the hollow cup 35, which co-acts with the'hollow cup 35 carried by the front wall 26 of the corresponding air iiow director in forming a swivel joint, which permits the directorto be turned to any desired position or angle to obtain the best results. The cup 36 is held in contact with the cup at all times by the coil spring 37. The outer end of the outer telescopic section 3I is also formed with a hollow cup 38, which is swiveled in the hollow co-acting cup 39, carried by the lower end of the rim I3. 'I'he parts 38 and 39 are held in contact by the coil spring 4D.

In practice, the fresh air is drawn in through the perforated suction cap 1, into the central air intake passage 8, and after being properly cleaned and heated, passes downwardly via the downtake passage I2 to the rim I3, and finally through the outlet openings 29 in the rear panels 21 of the adjustable air flow directors. By this method, the hair may be dried by applying warm clean air to the head above the hair line, with better and quicker results and with greater .comfort to the person undergoing treatment, as distinguished from the present method of using a blower, which discharges the air over the head and face and body, which is very objectionable in many respects.

The suction cap 'I and rim I3 may be detachably secured together by the bayonet slots 4I and studs 32, or other equivalent means.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings, I dispense with the perforated cap 'I and substitute the concavo-convex wire mesh screen 43, which is carried by the outwardly ilared lower end 44 of the vertically adjustable sleeve 45, mounted in the inner hollow cylindrical neck portion 46 of the housing. The air filter 9 is carried by the sleeve 45 in this instance, and the downward movement of the sleeve limited by the annular collar 41 and ring 48. The construction of the device is otherwise the same as in the preferred form.

From the foregoing description taken in connectlon with the drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood, without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principles or sacriiicing any of the advantages of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An apparatus for drying hair, comprising spaced inner and outer walls connected together at their lower ends, said inner Wall forming a central air passage, a cover for said inner and outer walls having a passage-way therein communicating with said central air passage and the space between the'inner and outer walls, a hollow perforated dome shaped member, mounted in the lower end of the central air passage and adapted to be placed over the head, a fan mounted in the central air passage over the hollow dome shaped member to draw the air upwardly through the latter and cause the air to then iiow downwardly through the space between the inner and outer walls, a heating element disposed above the fan,

hollow circumierentially spaced adjustable air' iiow directors, extending through the lower end of the inner wall and directing the iiow of the warm air inwardly toward the head, said air iiow directors comprising inner and outer telescopic sections, one of said sections having peripheral openings communicating with the lower end of the central air passage below the perforated dome shaped member.

2. An` apparatus for drying hair, comprising spacedA inner and cuter walls connected together at their lower ends, said inner wall forming a central-,air passage, a cover for said inner and outer walls having a passage-way therein communicating with said central air passage and the space between the inner and outer walls, a hollow perforated dome shaped member, mounted in the lower end of the central air passage and adapted to be placed over the head, a fan mounted in the central air passage over the hollow dome shaped member to draw the air upwardly through the latter and cause the air to then flow downwardly through the space between the inner and outer walls, a heating element disposed above the fan, hollow circumferentially spaced adjustable air flow directors, extending through the lower end of the inner wall and directing the ow of the warm air inwardly toward the head, said air flow directors comprising inner and outer telescopic sections, one of said sections having peripheral openings communicating with the lower end of the central air passage below the perforated dome shaped member and swveled connections between the inner and outer telescopic sections to permit angular adjustment thereof.

HERBERT EDGAR MILLER. 

